4 Accounts of A Massive Healing of the Sick Miracle
Without a
doubt the greatest miracle of our time was depicted in the Christmas film
“Miracle on 34th Street,” where Santa strayed recklessly into
Cupid’s territory and fell in love with a beautiful couple or something.
The second
undisputed greatest miracle of all time was the “Miracle On Ice,” where
American Hockey really rallied and crushed several lab-grown clones of Ivan Drago.
Yes. Yes that
definitely sounds right to me.
While we’re
listing Miracles – Miracle Whip. It’s been magically making dry sandwiches
edible since 1933.
If you don’t
count miracles involving Santa-spun romance, unlikely hockey victories or
delicious sandwich paste – well then you have to turn to religion to find more.
There are miracles aplenty tucked comfortably in religious history. Money showing up in fish exactly on time – that’s one. People literally glowing when the spirit flows through them
– that’s another. And let’s not forget about seer stones. That’s a big ‘un
right there too.
But today
we’re talking about a different miracle. We’re talking about a day when many
saints were laying sick around the city of Commerce, Illinois (soon to be
renamed Nauvoo) and the city of Montrose across the river. The sick were laying
in beds, wagons and on the ground. People were dying. Joseph Smith had given up
his own house for the sick and was sleeping, unwell himself, in his yard.
"A Day of God's Power" is what it came to be called. It was big enough of an event that it needed a name for easy reference.
"A Day of God's Power" is what it came to be called. It was big enough of an event that it needed a name for easy reference.
What makes
this incident interesting is it was big. There were lots of sick healed and
lots of witnesses to the healing. It was like a million bible-style miracles
crammed into one. What else makes it interesting is that there are at least 4 journal entries chronicling
it.
First we have
an all-too short journal summary from Brigham
Young (who makes a second appearance in another account down a bit further):
“Joseph arose from his bed of sickness, and the power of God
rested upon him. He commenced in his own house and door-yard, commanding the
sick, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and be made whole, and they were
healed according to his word. He then continued to travel from house to house
from tent to tent upon the bank of the river, healing the sick as he went until
he arrived at the upper stonehouse, where he crossed the river in a boat,
accompanied by several of the Quorum of the Twelve, and landed in Montrose.” (https://history.lds.org/article/museum-treasure-a-day-of-gods-power?lang=eng)
Next we hear from Joseph Smith’s caretaker. Smith himself was quite ill
and had a friend, Benjamin F.
Johnson , nursing him back to health.
But lets allow Mr. Johnson to tell his
own story:
“In
1839, after the Prophet escaped from Missouri and arrived at Nauvoo, I was with
him. The people had flocked in from the terrible exposures of the past, and
nearly everyone was sick with intermittent or other fevers, of which many died.
The Prophet, too, had a violent sickness. As Emma was in no degree able to care
for him, it wholly devolved upon me. Both day and night through a period of a
little less than two weeks I was hardly absent from his room. Almost his only
food was gruel, and about the only treatment he would accept was a flush of the
colon with warm water, perhaps tinctured slightly with capsicum of myrrh, or a
little soda and salt, both of which were prepared and administered by me in the
room he occupied. If any sleep came to me, it was while lying upon his bed or
sitting in my chair.
“At this time, with so much sickness and
death, a great fear began to prevail, with a desire in some to abandon Nauvoo,
and with this feeling President Rigdon was greatly exercised, making grave
complaints. The Prophet now arose in great power, like a lion, or as a giant
refreshed with wine, shook off his own sickness, went to Brother Rigdon,
rebuked his fearful and complaining spirit, and told him to repent or a scourge
from the Lord awaited him. Those being sick he commanded to be healed, which
they were. He then called for a skiff and crossed the river to Montrose, where
he found Elijah Fordham, drawing apparently his last breath. By his command,
life returned and he arose and was at once made whole. The Prophet then visited
Brother Joseph B. Noble and other places, full of the power of God, healing the
sick.” (They Knew The Prophet, Hyrum
& Helen Andrus P. 88 – 89)
That one is heavy on the
details of Joseph’s own sickness and subsequent recovery, but a little light on
the details of the ensuing healing parade. Brigham Young’s account ended upon
the Motrose-arrival. The great Parley
Pratt gives us a more complete picture of what happened on the far side of
the river:
“… I accompanied Joseph Smith over the
Mississippi in a skiff to visit some friends in Montrose. Here many were
lying sick and at the point of death. Among these was my old friend and fellow
servant, Elijah Fordham, who had been with me in that extraordinary work in New
York City in 1837. He was now in the last stage of a deadly fever. He lay
prostrate and nearly speechless, with his feet poulticed; his eyes were sunk in
their sockets; his flesh was gone; the paleness of death was upon him; and he
was hardly to be distinguished from a corpse. His wife was weeping over him,
and preparing clothes for his burial.
“Brother Joseph took him by the hand, and in
a voice and energy which would seemingly have raised the dead, he cried:
“Brother Fordham, in the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk.” It was a voice
which could be heard from house to house and nearly through the neighborhood.
It was like the roaring of a lion, or the heavy thunderbolt. Brother Fordham
leaped from his dying bed in an instant, shook the poultices and bandages from
his feet, put on his clothes so quick that none got a chance to assist him, and
taking a cup of tea and a little refreshment, he walked with us from house to
house visiting other sick beds, and joining in prayer and ministrations for
them, while the people followed us, and with joy and amazement gave glory to
God. Several more were called up in a similar manner and were healed.””
So Johnson was
detailed in relating the happenings on one side of the river, Pratt was
detailed on the other. Wilford Woodruff
is pretty detailed on both – and more:
“While I was
living in this cabin in the old barracks, we experienced a day of God’s power
with the Prophet Joseph. It was a very sickly time and Joseph had given up his
home in Commerce to the sick, and had a tent pitched in his dooryard and was
living in that himself. The large number of Saints who had been driven out of
Missouri, were flocking into Commerce; but had not homes to go into, and were
living in wagons, in tents, and on the ground. Many, therefore, were sick
through the exposure they were subjected to. Brother Joseph had waited on the
sick, until he was worn out and nearly sick himself.
“On the morning of
the 22nd of July, 1839, he arose reflecting upon the situation of the Saints of
God in their persecutions and afflictions, and he called upon the Lord in
prayer, and the power of God rested upon him mightily, and as Jesus healed the
sick around Him in His day, so Joseph, the Prophet of God, healed all around on
this occasion. He healed all in his house and dooryard, then, in company with
Sidney Rigdon and several of the Twelve, he went through among the sick lying
on the bank of the river, and he commanded them in a loud voice, in the name of
Jesus Christ, to come up and be made whole, and they were all healed. When he
healed all that were sick on the east side of the river, they crossed the
Mississippi River in a ferryboat to the west side, to Montrose, where we were.
The first house they went into was President Brigham Young’s. He was sick on
his bed at the time. The Prophet went into his house and healed him, and they
all came out together. As they were passing by my door, Brother Joseph said:
“Brother Woodruff, follow me.” These were the only words spoken by all the
company from the time they left Brother Brigham’s house till they crossed the
public square, and entered Brother Fordham’s house. Brother Fordham had been
dying for an hour, and we expected each minute would be his last.
“I felt the power
of God that was overwhelming His Prophet.
“When we entered
the house, Brother Joseph walked up to Brother Fordham, and took him by the
right hand; in his left hand he held his hat.
“He saw that Brother
Fordham’s eyes were glazed, and that he was speechless and unconscious.
“After taking hold
of his hand, he looked down into the dying man’s face and said:
““Brother Fordham,
do you not know me?” At first he made no reply; but we could all see the effect
of the Spirit of God resting upon him.
“He again said:
“Elijah, do you not know me?”
“With a low
whisper, Brother Fordham answered, “Yes!”
“The Prophet then
said, “Have you not faith to be healed?”
“The answer, which
was a little plainer than before, was: “I am afraid it is too late. If you had
come sooner, I think it might have been.”
“He had the
appearance of a man waking from sleep. It was the sleep of death.
Joseph then said: “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?”
Joseph then said: “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?”
““I do, Brother
Joseph,” was the response.
“Then the Prophet
of God spoke with a loud voice, as in the majesty of the Godhead:
““Elijah, I
command you, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, to arise and be made whole!”
“The words of the
Prophet were not like the words of man, but like the voice of God. It seemed to
me that the house shook from its foundation.
“Elijah Fordham
leaped from his bed like a man raised from the dead. A healthy color came to
his face, and life was manifested in every act.
“His feet were
done up in Indian meal poultices. He kicked them off his feet, scattered the
contents, and then called for his clothes and put them on. He asked for a bowl
of bread and milk, and ate it; then put on his hat and followed us into the
street, to visit others who were sick.
“As soon as we left Brother Fordham’s house, we went
into the house of Brother Joseph B. Noble. Who was very low and dangerously
sick.
“When we entered the house, Brother Joseph took him by
the hand, and commanded him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and be made
whole. He did arise and was immediately healed. . . .
“While waiting for the ferry-boat, a man of the world,
knowing of the miracles performed, came to him and asked him if he would not go
and heal two twin children of his, about five months old, who were both lying
sick nigh unto death.
“They were some two miles from Montrose.
“The Prophet said he could not go; but, after pausing
some time, he said he would send some one to heal them; and he turned to me and
said: “You go with the man and heal his children.”
“He took a red silk handkerchief out of his pocket and
gave it to me, and told me to wipe their faces with the handkerchief when I
administered to them, and they should be healed. He also said unto me: “As long
as you will keep that handkerchief, it shall remain a league between you and
me.”
“I went with the man, and did as the Prophet commanded
me, and the children were healed.
“I have possession of the handkerchief unto this day.” (They Knew The Prophet, Hyrum & Helen Andrus P. 80
– 82)
The red handkerchief is a fascinating detail. It’s still on display in a church museum – and
it looks like someone took a corner.
If someone
downtown is just giving away corners then dibs on the other three.
We’ll send
a guy down to collect them in the morning.
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